Tag Archives: Jobs

Pushing Against It!

Posted on by
Reply

Last Friday, I attended a business presentation one-half block away from Chicago’s famous Lake Shore Drive.  Not only was the temperature in the high 40’s, the wind was everywhere.  The wind pushed me forward; it made me push against it, while I walked the final block to the meeting.  When I walked across the street, the wind pushed my hair upwards!  I felt like I floated into the building once I pushed through the revolving entrance.

We’ve all heard the phrase of “being up against it.”  It usually means getting something done in a short period of time.  So how do you “push” through whatever makes you feel you’re “up against it”?  What pressure do you feel when you are “pushing” to get something done?  What trigger points come into play while you are “pushing” to get it done?

The easy part is knowing you do have a deadline.  Many people thrive while “pushing against it”, but certainly not all.   During this last week of April, Spring continues to “push through” it’s seasonal cycle.  While you are “pushing up against it” this week, Choose Who You Want to Be Known As. Enjoy your week!

“Jo Ann” M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent 04/23/12

Why Are YOU Silent?

Posted on by
Reply

Yesterday, I came across a misplaced copy of an article I was considering writing about.  The subject matter is: organizational silence*.  This phrase simply means not just speaking up when you know something is wrong.  It means continuing to work knowing you have no apparent options and hoping you are wrong.

It takes practice to know if something is amiss.  Why? Our perceptions may not be based on fact.  We may not work in an environment where it’s okay to bring up serious concerns.  Many people have learned to “go along to get along.”  Or, have you learned to only tell your boss what he/she wants to hear?

So my questions for you this week are:  How do YOU want to be told that a serious problem exists?  Do YOU want to hear the “short version” or the “long version”?  How do YOU know that something sounds true or not?  Placing yourself in the position of someone else may open up a perspective to help you learn more about YOU.

Organizational silence really exists in many forms, so Choose Who You Want To Be Known As.  Enjoy your week.

Jo Ann M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent 04/16/12

* Hefferman, Margaret. July 5, 2011. “A Corporate Epidemic: See No Evil, Hear No Evil Workers.” http://www.bnet.com/blog Retrieved July 21, 2011.

WHAT ARE WE SEEING?

Posted on by
Reply

As I was approaching a friend’s driveway, I noticed a young dog standing on three legs, by the side of the road next to my friend’s fence.   Perhaps the dog was standing in a yoga pose, with one leg bent upwards.  It was a first time for me to see a dog that way.

After I parked my car in the driveway, I looked at the dog, some 20 yards away.  The dog saw me and started to walk over, on four legs!  The dog started to walk around my car and smiled.   Another car approached.  The driver rolled down her window, as did I, and we spoke.  She said she also saw the dog standing on three legs;  she thought it was a lame lost dog, so she doubled back to check it out.  (What I didn’t know at the time was that the dog was a pit bull.)

The other driver had a spare leash in her car, which she fastened to the dog’s neck.  The dog seemed eager to come up to me and the woman driver couldn’t believe the dog did not belong to me.  The other driver was becoming insistent that I knew the dog and that the dog lived at the home I was about to visit.   Finally, the other driver offered and agreed to drop the dog off at a neighborhood shelter and we said our goodbyes.  

I later wondered how often we see something and are not sure what to make of it.  What do we do? How do we handle the situation?  What do our senses tell us?   Is our intuition working for us that day?

As we begin our week, how can we address a situation that may seem odd or uncomfortable – with a different approach.   Is our judgment taking over a situation instead of our being more aware, and keeping an open mind?   Whatever your choose, it will be Who You Want To Be Known As.   Have a great week!

Jo Ann M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent April 9, 2012

I didn’t expect that!

Posted on by
1

Isn’t it humbling and also wonderful to be told you had done well.  It came out of the blue for me recently.

So how are you motivated to do well?  What steps have you taken or considered to take to let your boss know what you need to succeed?

Since we are beginning to move through the month of April – the new beginnings of Spring are all around us.  What new beginnings will you think about this week to keep your motivation on track or increase?  What conversations will you have with your team members to learn more about what motivates them? How will these different perspectives work into what you need to do well and be motivated?

We really don’t have to wait for a reason. The month of April will motivate us daily to think about new beginnings and Who We Want To Be Known As.  Enjoy!

Jo Ann M. Radja, Career Management Coach & Change Agent 04/02/12